COLUMBIA, S.C. — The demolition of one of what authorities describe as one of the oldest public housing communities in the country is inching closer with new testing to begin this week.
Allen Benedict Court, which was built in 1940, is set to be demolished soon, but first, the 206-unit multi-family community will undergo required environmental testing for anywhere from seven to 14 days.
The property has sat vacant since January of 2019 when a gas leak evacuated more than 400 residents from their homes and killed two men.
Still, it's a building that's had a part in many lives over roughly 80 years and not everyone has supported bringing the buildings down.
Columbia Housing Board Chair Ernest W. Cromartie III acknowledged that impact while also looking forward to the future.
“We understand the importance of this community to hundreds of families who lived there through the years,” he said. “Columbia Housing and its Board of Commissioners are committed to a resident-focused and community-based approach to providing affordable housing in the City of Columbia and Richland County."
He added that he looks forward to having past residents of Allen Benedict Court involved in the planning process of what's to come.
Similarly, Columbia City Councilman Ed McDowell, whose district includes Allen Benedict Court said he eagerly awaits what he described as a "renaissance" coming to District 2.
"We look forward to future redevelopment and what it will mean for the overall community," he said.
Just a month earlier, Columbia Housing received the final approval from Housing and Urban Development for the demolition as the organization looks at what could eventually inhabit the site.
Housing Authority Director Ivory Mathews shared the proposed plans for the location which would include two senior buildings facing Harden Street with 168 units for those 62 and over, 96 townhomes for families, and 99 units for workforce residents - defined as non-disabled and non-senior residents who are single.